Battle of Freeman's Farm

The Battle of Freeman's Farm (19 September 1777) was one of the two battles fought at Saratoga during the Saratoga campaign of the American Revolutionary War. The battle saw the British army of John Burgoyne hold the field, but at too high a cost.

In the fall of 1777, Burgoyne still struggled down the Hudson River during his campaign to cut off New England from the rest of the Thirteen Colonies, having lost 1,000 men at the Battle of Bennington. In mid-September, less than 40 miles from his goal of Albany, Burgoyne and 6,000 regulars crossed the Hudson at Saratoga. His path was blocked by 6,000 American troops under Horatio Gates, who had them dig in at Bemis Heights.

On 19 September, the redcoats advanced, and, for three hours, Gates did nothing. Finally, at noon, he sent out Daniel Morgan's long riflemen, who were driven back by the main body of the British. Using tactics borrowed from the Native Americans, Morgan positioned his men in the woods, even on the trees. 4,000 American troops swarmed across Freeman's Farm, and the British eventually threatened to outflank the Americans. In response to the threat, Benedict Arnold sent in Ebenezer Learned's brigade. Nightfall brought an end to the battle, and the British held the field. However, Burgoyne lost 600 men, a third of the soldiers who fought that day. That night, the Americans began a days-long harassing fire against the British. The battle would be rejoined at the "Battle of Bemis Heights" in October.